Bulk transportation of cartoned goods usually involves stacking cartons on a platform or pallet to form a rectangular six sided prism. Such a palletized load is frequently secured with straps to retain its integrity. The pallet or platform represents a sufficient investment to warrant its reuse thereby requiring its return. The weight and size of pallets is sufficient to be a factor in shipping cost. Consequently, unitized loads which do not include a pallet are desirable.
The use of a single wrap of heat shrinkable, heat sealable plastic to unitize a load is known and is shown in such U.S. Pat. Nos. as 3,504,476 to Ehrenfried et al.; 3,585,777 to Pesch; 3,596,434 to Zelnick; and 3,672,116 Ingmarson. Double wrapping with bands of paper narrower than the prism is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,979,871 to Kieckhefer and 3,253,379 to Foradora. A single heat-shrinkable wrap with the addition of inserts for the exposed top and bottom faces is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,640,048 to Zelnick and 3,631,649 to Close et al.